Where Love Grows
by Chidori R. Fullbuster
Summary: How had Sami, the city slicker from Arborland, ended up in a little backwoods town in the south at her grandparents' farm? And why does she find herself attracted to the help?
1. Chapter 1

**Yay, a multi-chapter Toby/Sami AU! This should have weekly updates, seeing as I'm going to use it for my SAT vocab word assignments…. Don't judge. Well, here's chapter one. Oh, and when you finish reading, drop a review. They're always nice to read.**

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><p>Sami stepped out of her grandfather's pick-up truck, looking aghast as she took in the area. A small, two-story farm house stood proudly in front of her, showing off a front porch decorated in rocking chairs and multiple potted plants. Off to the left, she could see corn stalks raised against the blue sky. She knew there were other vegetables plotted, Grandpa had told her so, but she couldn't see them past the corn. It was scary how different this place was from Arborland.<p>

She sighed, walking to the bed of the truck to grab her duffel bag. Duder had bilked her out of going to the beach, she was sure of it. Her parents had given their daughter the choice of going to either: the beach with Duder and his friends for a week or visiting her grandparents in Georgia. "Sami, Grandpa and Grandma aren't going to be around forever," Duder had scolded his twin when she brought up going with him to the beach. "Besides, you hate Jim and Kevin. Why put yourself into that kind of misery?" Finding no flaw in his argument, Sami had relented and told her parents she would visit Grandpa and Grandma Reese.

Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she made her way up the front steps and through the door. As she made it into the kitchen, she found her grandmother stirring away at a pot on the stove. "Hey, Grandma, where can I put my stuff?" Sami asked, shifting the strap of the bag.

Grandma Reese turned away from the stove. Her blue eyes lit up at the sight her granddaughter. "Sami-Sam!" she cried, rushing forward to envelope the teen in her arms. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine," Sami replied, forcing a smile. The least she could do was emit an air of cheerfulness for her grandmother's sake, instead of letting on how angry she was that Duder had tricked her. She had always hated that she was a choleric soul, but she couldn't help that it was so easy to make her mad. "So, where can I put my stuff?"

Grandma Reese beamed. "There's a guest room ready for you upstairs. It'll be the first door on your right."

"Thanks," Sami muttered as she made her way to and up the staircase. She opened the door to the room tentatively, not sure what to expect. A twin bed on an iron frame was pressed against the wall, decorated with clean white sheets and a cream colored duvet. A white rug took up most of the floor space, hiding the dark wood floor underneath. A dresser was on the wall opposite of the bed. There wasn't a mirror, but that was alright with her. She was sure there was one in the bathroom. She wasn't so narcissistic that she always had to see her reflection.

With another heavy sigh, she started transferring her clothes from her bag to the dresser. When she finished, she made her way back downstairs, noting how quaint the décor was. It was cute, in an old-timey fashion, and wasn't at all ghastly. Sami could feel her regret about coming here slipping away, though she still had qualms about being so far away from the city.

"Samantha, come here please!" At the sound of her grandfather's voice, she wandered back into the kitchen. The elderly man sat at the kitchen table, sipping a glass of sweet tea. "There you are," he said pleasantly. "I was going to take you on a tour of the farm, but I figured you'd rather be with someone your own age." At the look of confusion on his granddaughter's face, he continued. "During the summer, the grandson of our friends in town stays with us and helps us out. He's already out in the fields working, moving the corn to the granary, so I figured you could meet up with him there."

"Alright," Sami said sweetly, swearing inside her head. She had been hoping to finish reading the lampoon about Stephanie Meyer that Meredith had loaned her.

Grandpa Reese's eyes narrowed. "Samantha, I know that you're almost grown, girls today have no respect for themselves. Yes, he's a handsome lad, but you don't need to act like a hus-,"

Grandma Reese slapped her husband softly across the back of the head. "If she's almost grown, I'm sure she doesn't need your homily about being modest and virtuous." She winked at Sami. "The storehouses are behind the cornfield."

"Yes ma'am. Thank you," Sami said. A faint blush rose on her cheeks from what her grandfather had implied. She walked out of the house, taking in the simplicity of the farm. It held no decadence, only the beauty and honesty of hard work.

When she arrived at the granary, there was a dark red pick-up truck parked in front of the opening. Curious, she crept around vehicle that impeded her view of the door. Vision suddenly clear, she saw a boy about her age walking out of the building, toward where she was. "Um, hi," she called, moving toward him. He stopped and, for the first time, she got a good look at his, well, good looks. He had short, curly, ebony hair that fell across his forehead. His eyes were wide and just completely gorgeous. They were a golden hazel color, framed by the longest eyelashes Sami had ever seen on a male or female. She felt like she could stare into them until her demise and be perfectly content.

"Hello," the boy drawled. Sami thought she might have melted slightly at the southern twang to his voice. "You must be Mr. and Mrs. Reese's granddaughter. Samantha, isn't it?"

"I go by Sami," she corrected him. She hated how breathless she sounded. Usually, she would have been able to fabricate a name and storyline to feed to him until she felt like telling the truth. But those eyes made her want to be completely truthful. It was like they eradicated all of her walls.

"It's very nice to meet you, Sami," he said, smiling. He offered her his hand. She took it shyly, returning the handshake. "My name's Toby Phillips."


	2. Chapter 2

**So, thanks for tuning in to chapter two! Just because I feel like I didn't do a good job describing Toby, he looks like modern day Darren… but with a southern accent.**

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><p>Sami felt awkward riding in the small space of the truck's cab next to Toby as he pointed out the stables, barn, fields, pastures, silos, and peach orchard. Besides Duder, Jim, and Kevin, she had never really hung around a lot of guys. She was a neophyte in the dating department. She had never had a boyfriend, or been asked out to a movie or dinner. She sighed, leaning back against the seat.<p>

"What's troubling you?" Toby questioned her as he pulled the truck into the yard in front of the house.

Sami bit her lip, trying to decide how to answer. She was a fallible teenage girl, and she could easily screw up any chance of friendship, or something more, with the wrong choice of words. "I'm just adjusting, that's all," she told him. Even though it wasn't the whole truth, it was still part of it, so she hadn't prevaricated. "It's so much smaller here than where I'm from."

Toby's lips curled into a half-smile as he turned off the truck. "You'll get used to it. It's peaceful out here." He shifted in his seat to look at her, his hazel eyes locking with her sapphire ones as he pushed her bangs out of her face.

Sami felt her cheeks heat up, cursing the blatant blush that had probably already stained her pale cheeks red. "What did you do that for?"

He shrugged. "C'mon, we better go inside, or Mr. and Mrs. Reese are going to think we're dawdling." He stepped out of the truck, leaving Sami by herself.

The girl let out a frustrated moan, letting her head fall into her hands. Was she so unappealing that he didn't even want to spend time with her? And why was she fawning over him anyway? Sure, he was handsome, but she didn't know anything about him. His looks alone were no reason to be acting like a school girl with her first crush.

With an annoyed sigh, Sami followed Toby's suit and got out of the truck. Right before she walked through the door, she plastered on a smile, not wanting to alert either of her grandparents to the idea that something may be wrong.

She made her way into the kitchen where Grandma was already in a flurry, working to prepare dinner. A plate of fresh-baked sugar cookies sat on the counter. Sami filched one while her grandmother's back was turned. She didn't need a lecture on how it would ruin her dinner. Besides, Grandma's cookies were the best.

She left the kitchen, slowly nibbling the cookie. It pacified her, the familiar taste allowing her flustered mind to settle. Why it bothered her so much, she had no clue. Her poor, desolate, romance-deprived heart was most likely just trying to make something out of nothing.

Well, no more, she berated herself. You're only here for a week and then you'll be back in Arborland. Anyway, he probably already has a girlfriend. Then you'll just be setting yourself up to get hurt even though you _knew _nothing would happen between you anyway.

She had arrived at her room, cookie gone and her feelings garbled. She was still uncertain about staying at the farm, but she was happy to see her grandparents. She wanted to be around Toby and be friends with him, but at the same time, she wanted to keep him at arm's length for fear of getting attached. It was all very confusing. Toby Phillips would her bane while she was there. There was no doubt about it. If the feelings he caused to arise in her didn't kill her, they would turn every blonde hair on her head silver.

"Sami-Sam!" She was pulled out of her reverie by the sound of her grandmother calling her name. "It's time for dinner!"

"I'll be right down!" She called back, turning back toward the door, brushing the last bit of cookie crumbs from her lips. She arrived at the table to see her grandfather and Toby already seated. Grandma was setting dishes on the table: a bowl of homemade biscuits, a plate of country-fried steaks, another bowl with corn-on-the-cob, a plate piled with sliced tomatoes, various jars of homemade jellies, and a pitcher of sweet tea.

"Sit down, Samantha," Grandpa said, offering her a slight smile. She hesitated slightly, knowing the seat next to her grandfather was for her grandmother. That left her the seat next to Toby. With a sigh, she sat next to the handsome teen. When Grandma joined them at the table, she looked at Toby expectantly. "Would you say the blessing, please, Toby?"

"Yes ma'am," the boy drawled. The family bowed their heads as the boy reverently spoke his prayer, asking God to bless the food and the hands that prepared it. As he finished, the entire table spoke, "Amen."

The meal went by in a comfortable silence. Sami had long since forgotten the comfort of a home-cooked meal. With both of her parents working full time jobs and Duder and her having part-time ones, they usually just ate take-out.

Toby turned to Mr. Reese, his eyes shining with concern. "Has anything else happened with Holden's company?"

"Of course," Sami's grandfather replied scathingly, though it was obvious his anger wasn't directed at Toby.

"What's going on?" Sami asked, taking another sip of her tea.

"Have you ever heard of the Holden Brothers?" Toby asked. Sami shook her head. "They buy out family-owned farms and use the land to grow crops to sell to bigger industries. For the past few months, they've been trying to get Mr. Reese to sell them his farm and become an affiliate."

"Like I would ever do such a thing," Grandpa snorted. "I'd never become just some namby-pamby, wishy-washy boy in a suit. I'm a farmer, not a businessman." He rolled his eyes. "Besides, they don't want a partner, they want a minion, and I sure as heck ain't nobody's slave."

"So why is it such a big deal if you just tell them you're not interested?" Sami asked.

Toby chuckled humorlessly. "Because the youngest brother, Zack, has been making calumnies at the local markets that Mr. Reese uses illegal pesticides and fertilizers on his crops."

"Thankfully, your grandfather has been selling around here long enough to have an honest reputation," Mrs. Reese added. "But it is causing some uncertainty from the younger people and families that haven't lived here long."

"But don't worry your pretty little head about it, Samantha," Grandpa said. "I'm sure it will settle out soon."

Sami nodded, vowing not to get caught up in whatever schemes were going on. For some reason, though, things never worked out for her the way she planned.

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><p><strong>Reviews = Love ~C.Y.R<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

Sami came downstairs mid-morning, still in her _Harry Potter_ pajamas. Pushing her tousled blonde hair out of her face, she strode into the kitchen. Toby and her grandparents were already at the table, halfway through breakfast.

"Why are you all up so early?" Sami asked, punctuating the end of her sentence with a yawn. She sat in the open seat next to Toby, quickly reaching for a biscuit, almost lacerating her hand her hand on the knife lying across the top of the jelly jar.

"The question is: why are you up so late?" Mrs. Reese batted away her granddaughter's hand and starting fixing her a plate. "It's almost ten. Do you always sleep in this late?"

Sami's eyes widened slightly. "Ten isn't late! Duder usually sleeps 'till noon!" Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Toby's eyebrows rise when she mentioned her brother's name. Shrugging it off, she continued her dispute with her grandmother. "Besides, it's summer. Why should I wake up early?"

Grandma rolled her eyes as she handed Sami her food. "Because, silly, you could help out with the morning chores. That is, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother."

Sami groaned internally. Grandma and Duder were kindred spirits, she was sure of it. They had the same attitude and both knew exactly what to say to guilt trip her. "Since I missed morning chores, is there anything else I can help with?" She queried.

"Actually, yes," her grandfather answered. "Toby's going to be my emissary today and talk to Zack Holden for me. You can accompany him on his trip, and it would give you a chance to go into town."

Sami debated this for a moment. Town was over an hour away. That would mean over two hours of being stuck in a truck cab with Toby and his stupid, curly hair, stupid, gorgeous, gold-hazel eyes, stupid, long eyelashes, and stupid, charming, good looks. Two, or more, hours that didn't include possible traffic delays, seeing as there were rarely queues of cars on the small, back roads, so she didn't even take the possibilities into account. Knowing her luck, though, this would be the day everyone from the sticks would decide to go into town. Then again, she knew it was futile to say no; Grandpa would to make her go anyway.

"Alright, that sounds good. When do we leave?" Sami directed her question at Toby.

"In about thirty minutes, if you can be ready by then." She wasn't sure, but Sami swore she saw a faint blush dusting the other teen's cheeks.

"Can do," Sami stood from the table, thanking her grandma for breakfast before making her way back upstairs. As she started sorting through her clothes, trying to decide what to wear, her mind began to wander. She understood why this farm was such a big deal to her grandfather. The genesis of the farm had started with _his _great-great-great grandfather. They had managed to hold on to the land through the Civil War, despite the raids on the Confederate states.

Choosing a white, strapless sundress and a thick, black, canvas belt, Sami threw the articles of clothing on her bed. She wasn't going to carp about having to go with Toby. Nope, not a single gripe or complaint was going to spill from her mouth. She changed into the dress, fastening the belt loosely around her waist. She grabbed her make-up bag from atop the dresser and left the room, making a beeline to the bathroom.

Once she was situated in front of the mirror over the sink, she pulled out a small bowl of white eye shadow. As she started applying it to her eyelids, she thought about how the trip into town was going to go. The drive there and back would most likely be awkward, seeing as she and Toby didn't know each other. When they met with Zack, she'd probably just have to prevent the boys from getting into a fracas. It couldn't be that difficult. Toby hadn't shown any flagrant behaviors and appeared to be respectful and civil. Zack would have to be civil to some degree. He was supposed to be a business man, after all.

Sami finished with her eye shadow, exchanging it for her eyeliner. Really, how nefarious could this Zack Holden be? Grandpa made him seem like he was the devil incarnate, but he did say he was the youngest. How bad could he be?

She finished up her immaculate eye make-up with mascara, completing the look perfectly. After brushing her teeth and putting on a quick coat of scarlet lipstick, she headed back to her room. On the way, though, she heard a guitar strumming from one of the other rooms. She moved quietly, her gait stealthy. She wanted to hear the music, not let her footsteps be heard. She tried to lean against the door from which the music was coming from. To her embarrassment though, she stumbled through the doorway.

Toby looked up at her in shock, setting his guitar back its stand beside his bed. "Uh, may I help you?" He asked politely, despite the bright pink blush that had settled across his cheeks. Sami couldn't blame him. He was lounging casually on his bed in just a pair of jeans.

"Um," Sami blinked, tearing her gaze away from him, feeling her face burn. "Yeah, I'm ready to go when you are."

Toby started at her, obviously inspecting her outfit. "Are you sure you want to wear that? It's an outdoor market. You're going to look like a patrician compared to all of the low-class farmers that'll be there."

Sami looked back at him to tell him that, yes; she did plan on wearing this outfit. Then she noticed the slight smile on his lips. He was teasing her. "Well, I have to give those country boys something to admire," she responded, winking at him playfully before leaving his room, wondering what Toby was like behind his polite, farmhand façade.

**Yeah, AP Lit makes this have weekly updates, lol. Reviews = Love ~ C.Y.R.**


	4. Chapter 4

Sami went back to her room, still grinning from her interaction with Toby. Humming to herself, she stashed away her make-up bag, switching it out for her jewelry case. She pulled out a pair of faux diamond earrings, putting them on quickly. She hadn't brought along any of her real jewels for fear of losing them.

Sami paused right before she walked out the door, glancing down at her outfit. She knew she wasn't zaftig at all. That was why she wore belts with all of her dresses and shirts: to make it seem like she had curves. What if Toby had a predilection for girls like that, she wondered to herself. She suddenly felt insecure, the fabric of her dress making her skin itch. Why was she making conjectures about his preferences? She didn't even know him well enough to know what he would like! She resisted the urge to change, knowing that he would become suspicious if she did.

She sighed, knowing there was no point worrying over what Toby's opinions and preferences might be. There was no way he'd be attracted to her. She really hoped her progeny had more confidence than she did. She didn't want her kids to ever feel insecure like she had. She quickly slid her feet into a pair of white flip-flops before making her way downstairs, bidding her grandparents farewell as she went out the front door.

Toby was leaning against the driver side of his truck, decked out in a dark green, long-sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The top two buttons were undone, revealing a white T-shirt underneath. He wore a pair of faded Wranglers that hugged his legs perfectly, not obscenely like the skinny jeans the boys back in Aborland wore. His shirt was tucked in, showing a worn, brown leather belt that matched the boots he wore. To finish off this quintessential picture of a farmhand, he had a white cowboy hat perched on top of his head.

"Ready to go?" he queried, noticing her standing on the porch steps still.

"Sure," she replied, bowing her head as she moved to the other side of the truck so he wouldn't notice the ruby glow on her cheeks. She slid into the truck cab, buckling her seatbelt swiftly.

Toby either didn't notice or was too polite to say anything. He climbed in beside her, starting up the truck and pulling out into the road. While he drove, Sami couldn't help but be distracted by his features. It made her feel like a creeper, so she decided to take a slightly less awkward approach: attempt to strike up a conversation.

"So, you're going to be a senior next year as well?" She felt foolish bringing up school, but at least it was common ground.

"Yeah," he responded, his eyes never leaving the empty road. "I'm glad. It means no more history classes."

"You don't like history?"

He shrugged. "It would probably be better if the teachers didn't belabor the Civil War every year. They're constantly re-teaching it. Plus, they teach it as if it was genocide of the Southern farmers and their way of life. They completely skew the meaning of a war that meant something more." He paused. "Because of their over-emphasis on the Civil War, the rest of my knowledge is rudimentary. I could maybe tell you five or six presidents and the Bill of Rights, but that's it."

Sami's eyes widened. "Are you serious? We spend maybe a week reviewing the Civil War. We spend a lot of time reviewing major battles, including the forays militaries have executed in the past that gave them the upper hand by way of the element of surprise. We also go over the commanders evenly allocated their troops, supplies, and weapons to the areas that needed them the most."

Toby let out a low whistle. "Compared to what I'm used to, that sounds amazing. In Rome, it's about three or four hours from here, they have these monolithic statues all throughout the soldiers' memorial. It's actually pretty awe-inspiring."

"That actually sounds pretty cool," Sami admitted. "So, this market we're going to… we get in free, right?"

Toby laughed. The warm, pleasant sound made Sami smile. "Yeah, it's gratis. It's just a market, Sami. It's nothing extraordinary."

She blushed slightly. "Well, I just wondered… I mean, I'm not materialistic, or stingy, or anything! It's just I'm saving my money up for a new guitar. I haven't had a new one in almost five years. I've outgrown my old one." Realizing she has revealed too much of her personal side, she quickly switched topics. "So what do you think this Zack Holden character is going to be doing today?"

Toby rolled his eyes. "Probably present the company's manifesto on the advantages of buying from industrial farms as opposed to local. Which, we still have about fifty minutes to drive, so just relax until we get there, alright?"

Sami nodded, suddenly feeling bold. She unbuckled her seatbelt, sliding across the bench next to Toby. She fastened herself in there, leaning her head against his shoulder. She heard his breath catch. "Do you mind?"

Toby hesitated. "No, I don't."


	5. Chapter 5

Sami felt something shaking her shoulder, awaking her from her sedentary state. She groaned softly as she moved for the first time in what felt like hours, opening her eyes slowly. Oh, right: she was in Toby's truck. She sat up, yawning as she stretched out. She looked over at Toby, who was still driving.

"Why'd you wake me up?" She grumbled tiredly as she slouched back against his side. "I was having a good dream."

Toby smirked as he continued his driving. "I'd imagine you were with the way you were grinnin' and sighin' in your sleep." Sami felt her cheeks heat up. "We're about ten minutes from town," he continued, "and it wouldn't do you any good to be staggering around half-asleep."

"Fair call," Sami agreed, trying to be amenable. She glanced out of the window, catching a glimpse of the speed stricture sign. He eyes wandered over to the speedometer, her mouth dropping open when she saw where the needle was pointing. "Toby, slow down! You're going, like, twenty over the limit!"

The dark haired farm hand let out a bout of laughter, though he did ease up on the gas to mollify her. "Better now?" He asked, hearing her let out a calm sigh.

"Much better," she responded, her eyes catching the red glow of the truck's clock. Her eyes widened. "Toby?"

"Yeah?"

"We left the farm twenty-five minutes ago."

"So?"

"So," Sami started, trying to reign in her anger. For her, stress was usually conducive to anger. "That means you must have been doing double the limit the whole way here!"

"I was."

Sami stared at him wide-eyed. "Is speeding your way of being subversive? 'Cause, trust me, I get the whole they-can't-tell-me-what-to-do thing, but I don't do stuff that could possibly _kill_ me!"

Toby scoffed as they stopped at a red light, a clear sign that they had arrived in town. He looked over at her, cocking an eyebrow, a sly little smirk in place on his lips. "Look, I might be the farm hand that helps out the much beloved Reese couple by breaking my back in the rigorous conditions that come with farm life, like, the risk of snakes, working outside in a hundred-plus weather, and bleeding hands, 'cause the callouses have gone away during the rest of the year when I'm at school."

"But," he added, turning back to face the road. "That doesn't mean I'm not tantamount to any of the city-slicker guys you hang around. I'm just as good, if not better. So don't freak out about me speeding a lil' bit when they probably do worse."

Sami blinked, processing what he said. "What do any of the guys from where Arborland have to do with what I said?"

Toby ignored her. "Oh look, we're here!" The expression on his face, Sami noticed, was anything but plaintive. There was a happy, albeit mischievous, glint in his hazel eyes, which made her want to follow him. Which, she didn't know where anything was; she would be following him anyway.

She got out of the truck quickly, realizing Toby was holding her door open for her. "Sorry," she murmured. "I'm not used to that."

"Understandable," Toby chuckled, offering his elbow out to her. "You'll need an escort today."

Sami laughed, joining in his game, slipping her hand through the space in his bent arm, resting her hand daintily on his elbow. "Alright then, let's go."

They headed toward the entrance, where an influx of people was already making their way into the market. Once they made it inside, Sami looked around in wonder. The thing that really caught her eye, before Toby pulled her away, was an ancient-looking grandfather clock, the patina on it glowing from the light of the display board, making it look even older than it probably was.

"I think coming here might just be the pinnacle of my trip," Sami commented after they had passed. "I really doubt anything more interesting might happen."

She was looking at a pin-board from a local school where students' essays were posted. One title read, 'Placebos: How to React When Your Meds Aren't the Real Deal.' Another declared, 'Juntas Should Have a Limited Rule Time: They're Soldiers, Not Leaders.'

Toby laughed, pulling her away to the board, toward the produce stands. "Well, don't worry your pretty head. I'm sure we'll do some more things before you leave."

Sami felt her heart jump a little when he said 'we,' though under any other circumstance, she would never admit it happened. She would lie through her teeth, even if sworn in. Perjury was a small cost to pay to retain her dignity.

Toby stopped suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. "What is it?" She asked.

"Zack," He hissed, as if the name was a swear word and it burned his mouth to even say it.

She followed the path of his sight, until her blue eyes fell on a young man around their age, wearing black pants, a white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows with a black vest over it, and a black fedora perched on his brunette head.

Zack Holden: their current target.


	6. Chapter 6

Toby strode forward, his visage a mask of determination. Sami trotted after him, silently hoping she wouldn't have to intervene at any point. She was no match for two practically-grown men.

Zack had finally caught sight of them, smirking almost sadistically. "Well, well, if it isn't Toby Phillips."

Toby's glare intensified, making Sami flinch. She was used to gentle, quiet Toby. Not the guy beside her that looked like he was about to rip out the other teen's throat. "Why don't we just skip hellos and get down to business?"

"Whatever could you mean?" Zack's blue eyes flashed, his smile becoming almost freakishly creepy. Sami recalled her grandfather saying Zack was the youngest brother of the Holden family. From what she had seen so far, with how he carried himself and how he was easily infuriating Toby, he must have been a wunderkind who had grasped the concept of manipulation and business forever ago.

"You've been slandering Mister and Mrs. Reese's name all throughout town, all because you and your brothers want to buy their land!"

"So what?" Zack challenged. Toby's mouth twisted as though he had a pungent taste in his mouth. "You obviously don't have the acumen or guts I do to be able to run a business successfully. It's not about being nice. It's about slitting throats to get what you want."

"It doesn't change the fact that what you're telling people are erroneous statements: They're _lies_, Zack!"

Zack waved the statement away as though it were negligible. "No one ever got anywhere in this world by being honest." His smile was gone, replaced by a serious glint in his eyes. "The crops the Holden Brothers sell are the best in the world. They taste piquant, the tang going with a multitude of foods. Whereas the crops from the Reese farm have a malodorous smell because they're almost rotten when they get to market." He shrugged. "At least that's what we've been broadcasting. Concurrently, we've bought out a few other farms out in the Mid-West, so even when it doesn't seem like we're doing anything, we still are!"

Sami found it impossible to stay quiet any longer. "But that's so stupid! You're trying to ruin the way these people have lived for their whole lives!"

Zack's icy eyes turned from Toby, widening when they landed on her. "Well, who is _this_ pretty peach blossom?"

Sami felt her face slush. Before she could respond, Toby had stepped in front of her, blocking her from Zack's line of sight. "Well, obviously this is just an impasse. We're never going to come to an agreement."

Zack shook his head cheerfully. "No, we're not. So why don't we just follow the old precept and agree to disagree?"

Toby just shook his head, reaching back and grabbing Sami hand, startling her. "This isn't over," he warned as he turned away, forcing the blonde haired girl to follow him. He stormed through the market, Sami matching his pace. They finally made it back to Toby's truck, where Toby promptly slumped back against the driver-side door.

"So…" Sami started awkwardly, realizing her hand was still in Toby's, but feeling no desire to change it. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Toby replied wearily. "When we had first heard of the Holden Brothers, your grandfather had them agree they wouldn't try to come after his land. He didn't write it out in a contract and get it notarized, though. He thought that their word was good enough, that a man's word was irrevocable. However, after Zack got involved in their projects out here, they quickly reneged on the deal and went back to their old plans to take the farm."

"Is all they do take over farms?" Sami queried, stroking his thumb across the back of Toby's hand in an attempt to calm him down.

"No," Toby sighed. "They also specialize in a branch of nanotechnology, designing new, untraceable weapons for the military." He shook his head. "I really don't feel like talking about this anymore. Let's just get back to the farm."


	7. Chapter 7

Duder opened one eye lazily, grinning at Jim and Kevin as they splashed in the salty water. It had been an amazing couple days at the beach so far. It could only get better if Tanya would stop nagging him.

"You know," a high, feminine voice descried as a body settled next to him on the extra-large beach blanket. "You should feel bad for tricking Sami into going to visiting your grandparents' farm instead of coming here with us."

Duder looked over to see Tanya lying next to him, her brown eyes staring at him intensely. Though his girlfriend's gaze would usually break him, he refused to be a craven in this situation. "However, I don't." He shrugged simply, closing his eyes. Seriously, he would be content to just lie in the sun and allow it to desiccate him until he was just a husk of a human.

Tanya pouted. "It would have been nice to have another girl here, though. I miss Sam."

Duder sighed as he sat up, looking back down at Tanya. "You really want to know why I convinced her to go to Georgia?" He asked, ready to defer to her and give up the answer.

"Yes." Duder's head snapped up. Kevin and Jim were standing there, looking at him with curious expressions

Duder grinned mischievously. "Well, it was entirely Grandma's idea, actually; she's the culpable one here. We were talking across Skype-,"

"Wait," Kevin interrupted him, his dark eyes wide. "Your grandma knows how to use Skype?"

"Yes," Duder responded patiently. "Let me finish. We were talking across Skype a couple weeks ago and Grandma was complaining about the dearth of boyfriends Sami's had."

"She's never had a boyfriend though," Tanya pointed out. "She's so non-complaisant. She doesn't act like all of the other girls at school, which is why guys never go for her."

Duder chortled. "That's exactly why Grandma was complaining about it; something or another about how she wants to be able to see her great-grandkids. Anyway, every summer, she and Grandpa have the grandson of some friends come work on the farm." Duder smirked. "She wanted Sami to go out there so she could set them up."

Tanya gasped as her eyes widened with shock. "You and your grandmother are in cohorts in attempting to get Sami-Sam a boyfriend?"

Duder nodded, a jolt of corporal pain hitting his heart as he saw the down-trodden look on Kevin's face. He knew the boy had a crush on Sami: He had since elementary school. He shook away the guilt as he kept talking. "If Grandma detects even the slightest bit of chemistry between the two, she'll do everything in her power to corroborate it and help it flourish."

Jim shook her head, little droplets of water scattering everywhere. "Don't you think that's, I dunno, deprecating of Sami? Like you guys don't believe that she can get a boyfriend on her own?"

Duder raised an eyebrow. "Oh, she probably could. It would just probably take her a few more years instead of a couple weeks out at the farm. Besides, she needs a corporeal boyfriend, not a mental illusion of what she thinks one should be."

Jim frowned. "It still sounds like a diatribe to me. You're making it sound like she could never do it on her own, like she's so pathetic."

Duder sighed again "Look, all I've done is depict the master plan. Now you all know what we're up to and I trust all of you not to try to contact Sami and let her know what's going on."

Kevin blinked. "And if this guy turns out to be a creep and carries out a depredation against Sami's innocence and ends up hurting her?"

Duder's expression was solemn. "Then we fly out to Georgia, kill him, and use his body as fertilizer." Suddenly, the teen's expression snapped back to joyful. "Now, what do you guys say that we make a driftwood bonfire tonight? It should be a pretty sweet conflagration!"


End file.
